Road building and reclamation machine



Dec. 13, 1938. F. CLUSTER ROAD BUILDING AND REGLAMATION MACHINE Filed May 19, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 13, 1938.

F. CLUSTER 2,140,105 ROAD BUILDING AND RECLAMATION MACHINE Filed May 19, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 6 7 d J ,mlm m w M 6 .E I L 1 1 1 I II /3 7.

Dec. 13, 1938. F. CLUSTER ROAD BUILDING AND RECLAMATION MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 19, 1936 m. \ww 3 a NwSQw .7 u Q\ N N MW A .3 Nw

I 5 s i Dec. 13, 1938. 'F'. CLUSTER I 5 ROAD BUILDING AND RECLAMATION MACHINE Filed May 19, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Dec. 13, 1938 UNITED STATES TENT *O F-FiCE ROAD BUILDING AND RECLAMATION MACHINE .6 Claims.

This invention relates to road building and reclamation machines and is particularlyadapted to use where dirt is to be moved from one place to another, dug from banks and the like, high 5 places taken down and fills brought up to grade. In fact in any place where the building of roads is taking place or ground is being leveled.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a framework sufficiently large to mount any one or all of the different road building machines thereto.

Another object of this invention is to mount the machine upon pneumatic tires, the number of tires being of sufiicient number and width of tread to make the machine stable under any and all operating conditions.

A further object of this invention is to provide means for controlling the direction of travel of the trucks, so that the machine may travel in a straight line direction or that the trucks may be turned to travel in such a direction that the main frame of the machine will travel at a diagonal to the road being built or in some cases at right angles to 'the'directionof the road.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a road building machine incorporating a bin or hopper for transporting material from one place to another for distribution.

Another object of the invention is to provide suhicient scrapers, bulldozers, scarifi'ers, digging rotors, even including shovels, bucket or drag line equipment, elevators and conveyors, to accomplish the particular purpose intended.

A further object of the invention is to provide power means for all of the units from a central power plant located on the machine. This power may be transmitted to the different units either by electricity, hydraulic or direct drive.

Another object of the invention is to arrange the wheels of the trucks in such relation to one another that they will completely roll the surface of the grade.

A further object of the invention is to provide a road building machine that can travel on the highways without injuring the pavements.

Figure 1 is an assembled side elevation of my invention incorporating several different storms of road building machines within a single unit In way I have eliminated some of the parts as the side elevator shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a plan view of Figure 1 taken on line 2-4 of Figure 1, showing a side elevator connected thereto.

Figure 3 is a plan view, partially broken away,

taken'on line 3'3 of Figure 1 of the front truck mechanisms, the bulldozer having been removed.

Figure 4 is a =fragmentary sectional view, parts broken away for convenience of illustration, of the forward end of the main frame and'forward truck. The *hydraulic jacks shown in locked position.

Figure5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 5 5 of Figure 2, looking in the direction indicated.

Figure -6 is a fragmentary sectional end view taken on line 6-6 of Figure 2, looking in the direction indicated.

Figure 7 is a cross section side elevation of the digging rotor, driving mechanism and lower end of the elevator conveyor.

Figure 8 is-asectional view taken on line 8-8 of Figure 2, looking in the direction indicated.

Figure 9 is asec'tiona-l view of one of the supporting and-driving arms of the digging roller.

Referring to the drawings: Frame 1 is mounted upon the trucks '2 and 3. 'The trucks '2 and 3 are practically identical in construction having a main frame 4. The frame 4 has outwardly extending arms 5, having the pneumatic wheels 6 mounted therebetween. The wheels 6 are all fixedly mounted to the core or axle '1 by any suitable means. 'The axle 1 is journaled within suitable :bearings 8, mounted within the arms 5. Motors 9 and Ill "drive the chains H through the reduction gear boxes 12. The opposite ends of the chain H coacts sprockets-l3, which are fixedly mounted to the shaft 7. Each motor drives two sets of pneumatic tires. Each set of tires being located on either side of the pivot point M of the truck. This enables the operator to stear the trucks by running the motor '9 and 1-9 in opposite directions so that the pneumatic tires will walk around the-center point 14.

Referring to Figure 4, the truck 2 has a socket bearing l5 fixedly mounted thereon by suitable fastening means it. A 'coact-i-ng socket or balljoint W is fixedly mounted to the main frame of the machine at it. The ball-socket works freely within the socket 15. This allows the :truck '2 to oscillate in all directions underneath the main frame 1. The truck 2 may he held in any fixed position relative to the main frame '1 'by hydraulic jacks 19 which are fixedly mounted on the :main frame i and extended to the truck frame 2 at the points 20. This locks the main frame and the truck frame solidly together while certain operations are being performed by the mechanism mounted thereon. The motors 9 and I9 assist in the turning "of the trucks, but a direct stearing shaft 2|, having. a universal joint 22 and stub-shaft 23 and a suit able gear 24 fixedly mounted to its upper end and coacting with the pinion 25 mounted upon a suitable stearing shaft 26 leading to a stearing mechanism, not here shown, also controls the turning of the truck 2 and locking of the same in any fixed position relative to the frame I.

Referring now to Figure 5, the rear truck 3 is mounted to the frame I by the spindle or kingbolt 21. A track 28 is fixedly mounted to the frame I by cross frames 29. Trunnion wheels 38, fixedly mounted to the frame 3| of the truck 3, holds the truck rigidly to the frame I but permitting the same to pivot about the pin 21. The pin 21 is controlled and revolved by the worm wheel 32, which is in turn rotated by the worm 33. The worm 33 is driven by the driving motor 34 and reduction gear 35. This motor is reversible and controlled by the operator of the machine by remote control. A bin or hopper 36 is superposed upon the frame I. The bin 36 is divided into two sections 31 and 38. The bottom of the bin consists of conveyors 39 and 40 journaled about bearings or sprocket wheels 42 on its one end and about sprocket wheels 43 at its opposite end and driven by the motors 44 and reduction gears 45. conveyor to run in either direction. The conveyor consists of cross-bars 46 fixedly mounted to the roller chains 41, the said roller chains traversing the tracks 48 which are fixedly mounted to the side walls 49 of the bin 36. The conveyor returns upon the surfaces or angles 50. Means is provided by the guards 5| for holding the material from falling through past the ends of the bars 46. The rear of the bin 36 has a swinging gate 52 pivoted at 53 and controlled by the hydraulic cylinder 54 through the piston rod 55 being journaled to the point 56. The gate 52 permits the discharging of the material from the bin 36 by the moving conveyor 39 through the opening 51, either in front of the bulldozer 58or behind the same, depending upon the position of the movable baffle plate 59. The baffle plate 59 is pivotally mounted at 60 and is controlled by the hydraulic cylinder 6| whose piston rods are connected to the crank 62. The discharging of the material of either side of the bulldozer provides for the leveling of the material while traveling in either direction.

The bulldozer 58 is pivotally mounted at 63 to the bracket arm 64 and is raised and lowered by the hydraulic cylinder 65 having its piston rod 66 journaled to the pin 61 fixedly mounted to the bulldozer 58. An adjustable discharge gate 68 is provided at the opposite end 'of the bin and controlled by the cylinder 69. The discharge from the point 10 of the conveyor may be controlled by the movable baffle plate II which is pivotally mounted at 12, either into the 'cross conveyor 13 or down in front of the blade I4. The blade 14 is pivotally mounted to the bracket 15 by the pin 16 and raised and lowered on either side by the motor I1, reduction gear, 18, crank arm 19 and connecting link 89. The operation of this blade is controlled by the operator by remote control. The cross conveyor 13 is mounted to the underneath side of the frame at 3i and driven by the motor and reduction gear 82 in either direction. Aside elevating conveyor 83 may be pivotally mounted at 84 and driven by the motor and reduction gear 85 for This motor is reversible causing the side of the grading of the machine. The outer end of the side conveyor 83 may be held in an upright position by the cable 86 trained about the reel 81 which is driven by the motor and reduction gear 88. For this purpose an upright frame 89 fixedly mounted to the main frame I, at 90 having its upper ends tied together by the crossweb 9|, provides a mounting for the motor 88 and ,Ireel 81. The side conveyor 83 may be mounted to either side of the machine. Cable 92 fixed to the side of the conveyor 83 at 93, trained about the pulley 94 and the reel 95 of the motor and reduction gear 96 controls the angle of the conveyor relative to the frame of the machine.

One of the main features of the machine is in the construction of the digging apparatus and the conveying of the material to the bin 36. A cylinder or core 91 extends transverse of the frame and is journaled and mounted to the side arms 98 by the stub-shaft 99 journaled within the side arms 98 and having a sprocket wheel secured thereto. Illustrated in Figure 9.

The chain I drives the cylinder 91 in either direction by the sprocket wheel IOI fixedly mounted to the shaft I02 which in turn is driven by the reduction gear assembly shown at I03. The cylinder 9'! has oppositely disposed curved cutting blades I04 for digging in either direction. Either side of the cutting ,assembly may be raised by the motor and reduction gear I05, crank arm I06, connecting links I01. A conveyor I08 is pivotally mounted to the bracket I09 at I I0. The lower end of the conveyor is controlled by a hydraulic cylinder II I, actuating the link H2 which is pivotally mounted to the conveyor at H3 at its one end and to the piston rod H4 at its opposite end,.ha ving a link I I pivotally mounted at I I6, controlling the piston rod H4 and link H2 in approximately straight line position. This mechanism raises and lowers the lower end of the conveyor HE. A digging shear H9 is fixedly mounted to the lower end of the conveyor I 08. This digging shear works in combination with the digging or cutting blades I94, suflicient clearance being maintained between them by the stop I20 contacting the arms 98. A conveyor belt I2I is trained about the lower roller I22 at the lower end of the conveyor and about the upper roller I 23, which is driven by the motor and reduction gear I24, cross-slats I25 are provided for carrying the material upwards on the conveyor belt I2I. Due to the separate controls on either side of the cutting drum and of separate hydraulic cylinders on either side of the conveyor, any slope of grade can be cut. The drum 9'! is driven by the reduction gear I93, drive shaft I26, transmission I21 and motor I28.

The motor I28 provides the primary motive power for the entire machine. An electric-generator I29 directly connected to the motor provides the electric energy for remote control motors. A hydraulic pump, not here shown, will provide hydraulic means for the hydraulic cylinder. I do not wish to be limited to any particular form of controls or operating motors or mechanism, asv all of the mechanism controlling the bulldozer, blades, gates, raising and lowering of the'elevators could be done by direct mechanical gear driven controls, but I have selected the control shown due to the simplicityv of illustration.

A complete shovel and hoisting mechanism is shown at I30. This mechanism may be of well known standard construction pivoted upon the pivot point I4 of the front trucks 2. The same being mounted upon trunnion wheels HI and controlled by the pinion I32 coacting with the segment gear I33. The pinion and gear i33 brings the shovel mechanism I30 to any desired position of operation relative to the front of the main machine, in other words working in a halfcircle either directly in front of the machine or to one side. The pivot point It, about which the mechanism I38 is revolved, is best shown in Figure 4. The same being locked together by the stub-shaft 23 and the gear wheel 24.

A scarifier I34 is pivotally mounted at I35 and controlled by the hand wheels I36, worm mechanism I37 pivotally mounted to the rear end of the scarifier at I 38. A pair of blades I39 are pivotally mounted at Hit, and raised and lowered by the mechanism Ml, their angles being controlled by present well known gear mechanism not here shown.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a bulldozer is shown mounted upon the front truck 2. The bulldozer I42 is pivotally journaled at I43 and raised and lowered by the action of the cylinder I44. The cylinder is pivotally mounted at I 45 having its piston rod fixed to the arm 146 of the side arm of the bulldozer.

From the foregoing description it will be readily understood that one or more of the single units may be in operation at the same time, and due to the size of the machine, a more even control may be had of the various separate machines contained in the frame of the main machine.

There are so many uses to which this machine is adapted that it would be impossible to elabcrate on all of them, as for instance, sloping de vices for shaping the edge of grades can be attached at different points on the machine for further combinations.

While a specific form of construction has been described and illustrated herein, it is desired to be understood that the same may be varied, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. A road building machine including a frame, ground supporting wheels therefor, a ground cutting implement mounted transversely of and below the frame, means for independently controlling the cutting depths of the cutting implement, a conveyor cooperating with the cutting implement, a bin mounted on the frame to receive the material from the conveyor, a traveling apron forming the bottom of the bin, means for selectively driving the apron in either direction,

a gate at the rear of the bin for delivering material therefrom in the travel of the apron, a bulldozer supported below the machine in line with the rear of the bin, and means for operating the gate for delivering material from the bins in advahce of or in rear of the bulldozer at will.

2. A road building machine including a ground traveling frame, a cutting implement mounted transversely of and below the frame, means for controlling the cutting depths of the implement, a divided bin supported on the frame rearwardly of the implement, a conveyor for delivering material from the cutting implement to one of the divisions of the bin, traveling aprons forming the bottom of the divided bin, a conveyor belt movable laterally of the frame, said conveyor belt receiving material from the forward ends of the aprons, and means operative to direct the material from the aprons onto the conveyor belt.

3. A construction as defined in claim 2, including a scraper arranged in rear of the conveyor belt, the means for delivering the material from the aprons to the conveyor belt being operative to deliver said material free of the conveyor belt and in advance of the scraper.

4. A construction as defined in claim 2, including an extension belt in line with the conveyor belt, said extension belt being mounted for swiveling movement laterally and vertically to deliver material from the conveyor belt laterally of the machine and at selected points, and means for controlling the position of the extension belt.

5. A construction as defined in claim 2, including a scraper arranged in rear of the conveyor belt, and means for adjusting the scraper for appropriate scraping of the material.

6. A road building machine including a frame, ground wheels supporting the frame, a cutting implement mounted transversely of and below the frame, a support for the cutting implement swingingly mounted above the frame and extending below the frame and carrying the cutting implement, the cutting implement including a plurality of cutters mounted for revolution about a fixed axis in the lower end of the support, said cutters being arranged in pairs with the respective cutters of each pair acting in opposite directions for cutting function to thereby permit effective operation of the cutting implement on rotation in either direction, driving means for the cutting implement operating in the support, and means for changing the angle of the support with respect to the frame to vary the cutting depths of the cutters.

FRANKLIN CLUSTER. 

